SlotGaugeCheck a catchAmerican Shad regulations in Delaware
Shads and Herrings · Freshwater · 2026 season
American Shad size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| State waters | Open year-round | No size limit | 2 per person per day |
| Nanticoke River | Closed to harvest | — | — |
Notes
- CLOSED on the Nanticoke River and its tributaries.
- Saltwater page lists 10 in combination with Hickory Shad; freshwater page lists 2. Stricter (2) used here.
Exact DNREC wording
- Season
- Ocean/Delaware Bay and Tributaries/Delaware River and Tributaries/Inland Bays:Open Year-RoundNanticoke River/Tributaries:CLOSED – Both commercial and recreational American Shad are CLOSED to harvest on the Nanticoke River and its tributaries
- Size
- No Size Limit
- Limit
- 2
Source: DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife, captured 2026-09-20 (2026 season).
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About the american shad
Species of fish
The American shad is a species of anadromous clupeid fish naturally distributed on the North American coast of the North Atlantic, from Newfoundland to Florida, and as an introduced species on the North Pacific coast. The American shad is not closely related to the other North American shads. Rather, it seems to form a lineage that diverged from a common ancestor of the European taxa before these diversified.
Read more about American shad on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife, not Wikipedia.
All 196 Delaware species A–Z →
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for American Shad in Delaware?
No size limit in Delaware state waters.
How many American Shad can you keep per day in Delaware?
2 per person per day.
When is American Shad season in Delaware?
Open year-round.
Is my American Shad a keeper today?
American Shad has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 2.